Field
The instant invention is generally concerned with kitchenware for cooking and specifically concerned with skillets having coverings configured for support of a utensil such as a common spatula or spoon. In addition, apparatus are arranged with a view to reducing mess caused by splattering of grease and other cooking residue.
Preparation of certain foods may call for frying in pan or skillet. For example, a hamburger patty, which is sometimes preferably fried in a skillet. Hamburger naturally contains grease and oils which facilitate the cooking of the hamburger as they transmit heat quite well. However, one will appreciate a great problem which accompanies frying hamburger in a pan: that is, the splattering of grease from the pan to all areas about the kitchen and in particular about the stove. The oils get very hot and occasionally pop with strong force. This tends to propel oil and other debris, i.e. food particles, about the cooking area. In addition, these hot oils may be dangerous as they cause burns when they come into contact with persons near the stove.
Of course, the obvious solution to such a problem, suggests that a lid which tightly fits onto an upper rim of the skillet be put in place while cooking. However, such practice is flawed by serious problems. The lid must be removed to view the food while monitoring the cooking progress. In addition, it is sometimes desirable to manipulate the food by stirring or flipping. While the lid is removed, the grease will splatter about. This is particularly troublesome in the case of a hamburger because when a hamburger is flipped or otherwise manipulated, it tends to agitate the oils which causes them to pop and splatter even more vigorously. Since the lid cannot be in place while the manipulation occurs, the oils escape confinement and frustrates the problem the lid was intended to solve, and thus, defeats its purpose. A common skillet lid does not cooperate with the task of allowing one to manipulate the food being cooked while operating to prevent a mess.
While the systems and inventions of the prior art are designed to achieve particular goals and objectives, some of those being no less than remarkable, these inventions have limitations which prevent their use in new ways now possible. Prior art inventions are not used and cannot be used to realize the advantages and objectives of the present invention.